As a mother, I know when I am meal planning and making my grocery list I am truly trying to put together healthy and delicious meals for my family. I want my family to eat well and enjoy doing so. This past year has been a year of learning for me and one of the main areas I have focused to clean up in our home is what we are eating. I’m trying to teach my husband and kids which foods are good/better/best options and which ones we should be looking to avoid. As I am doing this, my kids especially have been asking me, “why mom”? Here are some reasons behind why to clean up what you are eating and how to focus on healthy food and your body.
Why, mom?
As parents, it is our responsibility to protect our children. Not just from bad guys and the boogeyman, but in everyday occurrences, even down to what food they eat. It is imperative that we educate ourselves about what is in the foods we buy and feed to our families. Below are some harmful chemicals that are “generally recognized as safe” per the people we trust at the FDA. This actually means that the suppliers and manufacturers of these chemicals get to say what is generally safe for human consumption and not the FDA, thanks to a legal loophole…OOPS!
Titanium Dioxide – this is a color additive mostly used in candies – this chemical may change your DNA!
Artificial Food Dyes – These are used in many beverages and candy, again targeting our children. These artificial dyes can cause behavioral problems in children. The ones to be especially aware of are Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3.
Potassium Bromate – this chemical is a carcinogen and it is added to flour used in many packaged baked goods.
PFAS – The toxic per- and poly-fluoroalkyl “forever chemicals” known as PFAS are used in food packaging and are known to leak into the food itself. They increase the risk of cancer and damage the immune and reproductive systems.
Nitrites and Nitrates – these are common preservatives used in cured meats. These awful chemicals have been linked to many types of cancers: stomach, esophageal, thyroid and brain.
Propyl Paraben – this another preservative that is used in many packaged pastries and tortillas. This additive causes developmental and reproductive harm.
Artifical Sweeteners – we see these everywhere – these can damage the hormones that control metabolic performance in the body, causing a negative impact on weight control.
TBHQ – Tert-butylhydroquinone – a preservative used in Pop-Tarts and other processed foods. It may harm the immune system and weaken the effectiveness of vaccines.
BVO – Brominated vegetable oil is used to stabilize citrus flavors in sodas and fruity drinks. It can cause neurological
harm.
Heavy Metals – Many baby foods contain dangerous levels of heavy metals, including mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic. Exposure can slow growth and development, increase cancer risk and lead to behavioral and learning difficulties.
Never, Sometimes, and Always.
One word we try very hard not to use in our house is never, especially when it comes to food. I do not want to tell my children to never eat any type of food. Why? Well, we do not want them to have any added pressure when they think about what to eat. There may come a day when their only food choices may be processed foods, and they will have to eat what is available. They can do this and not feel overwhelmingly guilty since they can make a better choice the next time.
Sometimes. This is one word that we use to categorize some food options in our family. For example, fast food options are categorized as a sometimes food. We would also categorize processed foods here; things like a bag of chips, crackers, or even a packaged granola bar. Treats like ice cream or Popsicles may also be sometimes foods.
Always. We should always try to include fruits and vegetables in as many meals and snacks as possible. For kids, you may have to get creative so that your fruit and veggie options can be fun and tasty to them. Let your kiddos help out in the kitchen or help with making p a menu, ask them what fruits and veggies they would like to include.
What’s for dinner?
Isn’t this the never ending question?! It can sometimes be a challenge to come up with new and tasty dishes for dinner. I know in our home, we have our handful of regular dinner ideas, but they can get boring real fast. What I have found to be helpful is to make a list of four to five different meal ideas. I might even look at Pinterest ideas, some that are simple but nutritious. I write down the meals and side dishes, then create my grocery shopping list from there. This allows me to answer the question as to what we will be having for dinner, and also prep for the week to come.
Do we have any snacks?
I don’t know about your kids, but mine are tenacious little snack monsters! It does not matter that they just ate lunch or that dinner will be ready in 15 minutes, they love to snack. So, we try to keep some easy, ready-to-go, snacks on hand. Foods like oranges, apples, pears, cherries, cheese, nuts, raisins, cherry tomatoes are all great options in our home. I also try to clean and cut up all fruits and veggies once back from the grocery store so that when a cute little snack monster appears, they have many healthy options ready for them to grab-n-go.
What’s there to eat?
At the end of they day, we are not perfect. We all try our best to feed our families what makes them healthy and happy. You will have days when you hit this target and other days when you only have enough time and energy to swing by a fast food drive-thru, both are okay. It all comes down to balance. You can do great, most of the time by just being prepared. Having nutritious foods like fruits and veggies on hand is a must. If you do not buy junk processed foods, then your family will fuel themselves with the healthy options you’ve prepared for them.
